Chapter 12: Into the Unknown
A few weeks later, Harry was a mystery to Hermione. He was unfocused in class and no longer engaged in their usual competitions into mastering spells while pushing himself beyond his limits in their lessons with Flitwick.
"Enough!" Flitwick called out. Harry and Hermione were once again trying to disarm and shield. At his word, Harry nearly collapsed, heaving himself down onto the ground. Breathing heavily, sweat pouring off his body, Harry tried to heave himself back up, a small hand landed on his shoulder, holding him down.
"Mr. Potter!" Flitwick tried to get his attention. "You are exhausted and unfocused. This combination is a good way to hurt yourself. Or others."
Harry followed his eyes to Hermione who looked concerned for her friend.
"There is something bothering you and it is driving you outside your limits and your control," Flitwick looked Harry dead in the eye. "We are done here tonight."
"No!" Harry screamed. "We have to keep going!"
"Why?" Hermione was at her wit's end. "Harry… you're not paying attention in classes and hyper focused here. Ever since that night with the unicorn. What is going on? What aren't you telling me?"
Harry glared at the both of them. He didn't want to burden them with what he knew but he also knew Hermione would not let this go.
"Do you remember what Firenze told us?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded. "There's only one person I can think of who would drink unicorn blood in order to stay alive. Someone who has been looking to regain his power for 10 years.
"Voldemort." Harry finally said as Hermione gasped. "Voldemort wants the stone."
"How do you know about the stone?" Flitwick
Harry rolled into an explanation of going to Gringotts with Hagrid, learning about the break-in that happened that day. He told them how Fred and George found out about Fluffy and that they discovered it was standing over a trap door. He left off his suspicions of Snape and instead mentioned Hagrid dropping the name Nicolas Flamel. A short hop, skip and jump, they learned about the Philosopher's Stone and put together that it was being held in the third-floor corridor.
"Impressive deduction work, you two," Flitwick was both horrified and impressed at how much they had discovered. "But what does this have to do with You-Know-Who?"
"When we encountered the unicorn, there was another cloaked creature," Harry explained slowly. "The centaur who drove it off told us the thing wanted to drink the blood of the unicorn but it came with a cost. He said the creature was only doing that so that it could live long enough to get the stone. Hermione asked him who would be willing to do that. Firenze told me, in his own cryptic way, that there was one person, one who had been waiting to return to power… for ten years. That could only be one person: Voldemort."
Flitwick flinched at the name and Hermione stepped closer. Looking him in the eye, she did something he did not expect: she hit him. Repeatedly.
"You idiot!" Hermione screamed. "For weeks you've been carrying this around? Weeks of suffering, worrying and you didn't tell me!? If you're suffering, you have to tell me. Going it alone- I know that's what you are thinking- will not help. If V-V-Voldemort-"
She stuttered out the name for the first time
"-is still out there, it isn't your responsibility."
"But if he comes back, he'll come after me first. I have to be ready," Harry said. "I can't put you in danger, not like that."
"You don't get to ask that! 'Don't go where I can't follow,' you once told me. I am telling that to you now because I'm with you, to the end of the line. If Voldemort does one day come back, we will face him together. Got it!"
"Listen to her," Flitwick decided to reinsert himself into their conversation. "Last time, he gained power by isolating us. He divided everyone and got them to think of themselves and not others. If he is to come back, it will take all of us, working together, to stop him. You were the one to defeat him and that was because no one was willing to stand up to him. Even Dumbledore, powerful as he is, could not unite the wizarding world against Voldemort.
"Don't push yourself so hard that you actually end up doing more harm than good," Flitwick made sure Harry was paying attention. "Focus on your classes, enjoy time with your friends and remember to LIVE. If you forget that you have a life to live, I will not be able to train you. Understood?"
Harry nodded. He had been spending all his days preparing for his confrontation with his parents' murderer that he had forgotten to live his life. He had pushed his friends away and it took Hermione literally knocking some sense into him to realize that.
"Don't worry about the stone," Flitwick said. "The headmaster directed us professors to add some protections to it, including Dumbledore himself. Now it's almost curfew, you both should head back to your dormitories."
Together they ventured back to Gryffindor tower. Before gaining entry, Harry turned to Hermione.
"Thank you for waking me up," Harry said, looking at his feet. "I am sorry for not telling you what was going on. Whatever comes, we will face it together."
"Don't you forget it," Hermione finally smiled at him.
Later that week, the weather warmed up enough for Harry, Hermione and Neville to spend some time on the grounds, drinking in the warmth of the sun.
"Oh this feels good," Harry said as he lay back on the grass. "I haven't been this warm since…"
Harry let the sentence drift off, his eyes widening as he did.
"Since when?" Neville asked.
"Since we visited Hagrid," Harry said. "Remember how he said he won the egg off a stranger? Don't you think it's odd that a stranger would have a dragon egg for the person who would love to raise a dragon most of all?"
Bolting upright, Harry headed off toward Hagrid's cabin. Hermione and Neville looked at one another before scrambling to catch up. As they caught up, Harry was hammering on the door to Hagrid's hut.
"I'm comin', I'm comin'!" Hagrid opened the door. "'Arry? What'cha doin hammerin' at me door?"
"Hagrid," Harry tried to keep his voice steady. "That night you won the egg, did you get a look at the stranger?"
"No' really," Hagrid ran his hand across the back of neck. "'E wore a cloak. Ne'er really saw 'is face."
"You didn't think that was odd?" Hermione asked.
"No' really," Hagrid said. "Hog's 'ead is known for that sort of thing. When 'e gave me th' egg, 'e asked if I was up to raisin' a dragon. I told him, after Fluffy, it woudn' be an issue. Yer just gotta know how ter calm them down. Like with Fluffy, play a little music an' he'll drop righ' off."
Harry's jaw dropped, Hermione gasped and Neville facepalmed.
"I shouldn' 've said that," Hagrid said but it was too late. The kids were running back toward the castle.
"What do we do?" Hermione asked. "That was either Voldemort-"
Neville squeaked.
"-Or someone working with him."
"Working with him?" Harry started slowly. "You're not thinking…"
"Yes. I am thinking Professor Snape. He tried to throw you off your broom, has been seen on the corridor. If Voldemort isn't able to enter the castle, he would have a lackey do it for him."
"We need to go to Dumbledore," Neville said. "McGonagall would know how to contact him. Let's go ask her."
Arriving at McGonagall's office, they knocked. Hearing "enter" they opened the door. There at her desk, buried behind mountains of parchment was the Deputy Headmistress.
"Are you doing okay, Professor?" Harry gestured to the four tables full of parchment.
"Just fine, Mr. Potter," McGonagall's clipped tone answered. "Just catching up on some paperwork. How may I help you?"
"We were looking to get in contact with Headmaster Dumbledore," Hermione said. "We need to speak with him."
"What would you need to speak to him about?" McGonagall was legitimately confused.
"Actually, we think…" Hermione started to say.
"Somebody's going to steal the Philosopher's Stone!" Harry shouted over the top of her.
"How do you know about…" McGonagall waved her hand. "Irrelevant and I probably do not want to know. Why do you think the stone is in danger?"
Harry took a deep breath to calm his panicked mind. Together they laid out everything they discovered from their encounter with the unicorn, what Firenze had told them and their new discovery regarding what Hagrid had told the stranger when he won the egg.
"While that is concerning, there is more guarding the stone than a Cerebus," McGonagall said. "I will relay your concerns to Dumbledore when he gets back."
"Dumbledore is gone!?" Harry asked, Hermione and Neville's eyes widened.
"Business at the ministry, I'm afraid," McGonagall said. "I'm in charge until he gets back, as is the norm whenever he leaves."
Which is often, McGonagall thought.
"Now forget about the stone," McGonagall said with finality. "It is safe."
The trio left McGonagall's room, feeling worse than when they entered.
"Dumbledore is the only one You-Know-Who feared," Neville said when there were a decent distance away. "If Dumbledore is gone, this might be his best chance to make his move and my gran always told me Snape was deep into You-Know-Who's camp. He only got off because Dumbledore vouched for him. It always rubbed her the wrong way."
"What can we do?" Hermione asked aloud.
"We go after the stone ourselves," Harry said, his eyes hard. "We grab it, we give it to Hedwig and have her take it to the goblins. They can get it back to Flamel since they were tasked with protecting it in the first place.
"That's so dangerous!" Hermione screeched. "We could be killed-or worse, expelled."
"Tonight, we'll go-" Harry stopped short at the sound of approaching footsteps.
As if summoned, Snape rounded the corner.
"What are you three doing inside on such a lovely day?" Snape looked Harry in the eye. Harry could feel a little pressure like something poking on his forehead. Ever since the encounter with the unicorn, Harry felt more aware of his own brain. Harry looked away from the Potions Master and the pressure receded.
"One might think you're up to something," the bat sneered.
Watching him stalk away, Hermione made up her mind.
"You know what? Let's do it, but how do we do it? You know Snape will be watching us closer than ever."
"My dad's cloak," Harry said. "It will keep me…"
"Us," Hermione interrupted. "You're not going alone. Stronger together, remember?"
"I might be useless with a wand," Neville added. "But what kind of Gryffindor would I be if I let the two of you go alone?"
"Okay," Harry relented. "It should keep us from being seen and allow us to sneak down to the corridor. What do we do about music for Fluffy?"
"I'll sing to him," Neville said. "What? Some plants actually react well to singing and I am actually a pretty good singer."
That night, the trio waiting in agony as the Gryffindor common room had no idea what was at stake, what they were going to do. Ron roped Harry into a few more rounds of chess. It didn't matter that Harry's head wasn't in the game and that Ron smashed Harry in 10 moves, Ron just acted like nothing mattered.
"Why so glum, Harry?" Ron said. "The weather is warming up, school is almost done. Summer is almost here!"
"Guess I've just got a little on my mind, Ron," Harry tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice.
"Speaking of summer," Ron said. "Do you think you'll be able to come visit the Burrow for a while during it?"
"Sure, Ron," Harry said distractedly, looking around the room at the dwindling crowd. "That sounds great."
"Really!? I'll have to write mum and let her know."
Like a bullet Ron was off and running up to his room. All that was left in the common room were the twins and two couples who were more interested in one another than they were anyone else. Harry looked at Hermione and Neville and nodded. Standing up as one, Harry extracted his cloak from the pocket of his robes, swung the portrait to the Fat Lady open. On cue, Hermione and Neville fell into formation on either side, Harry threw the cloak over them and walked on toward the third floor.
At the corridor, Harry reached a hand out to find the door locked.
"Alohamora," Hermione cast the charm with her wand. The lock clicked and Harry could open the door.
"Seriously!?" Harry said. "A simple locking charm?"
They stepped into the room to find a harp charmed to keep playing and a happily snoring Cerebus. Moving quietly as possible toward the trapdoor where they found a problem.
In his sleep, Fluffy had moved his paw on top of the door. Screwing up all his courage, Harry moved forward and tried to lift the paw, putting his whole body weight into it. Despite all his strength, the paw never even budged until suddenly the paw moved off the door entirely.
Harry wanted celebrate before he realized the reason why it moved: the harp stopped playing. Fluffy had awoken and all three heads were looking down on Harry, growling. Harry tried to back up but the heads were moving in closer.
"I heard there was a secret chord,
that David played
and it pleased the Lord,"
Neville's voice rang out. Fluffy stopped moving, turned toward Neville and relaxed.
"But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this the fourth, the fifth,
the minor falls, the major lifts.
The baffled king, composing Hallelujah"
Harry heaved the door open. Not caring for what lay beyond or how far the drop went, Harry and Hermione heaved themselves into the hole, landing on something soft.
"Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah"
At the last refrain, Neville dropped into the hole, landing next to Harry.
"Hey Neville," Harry called out, cheerfully. "Funny seeing you here. How's it going?"
"Better than you!" he called out after lighting his wand. "Look at your feet!"
Down at Harry and Hermione's ankles were Devil's Snare vines, wrapping tighter as Harry started to struggle. Harry reached for his wand only to find his hands wrapped as well. Taking a deep breath, remembering what Neville had told him his first lesson, Harry relaxed and fell through, below the Devil's Snare. Hermione and Neville soon relaxed and fell to join him.
"Well that's Hagrid and Professor Sprout's contributions," Hermione said as they made their way into the next room.
Stepping over the threshold, Harry heard a small fluttering noise. Looking up, he saw a host of small, winged creatures, flying languidly above them. Walking to the other end of the room, Harry saw another door.
"Alohamora," he called out with confidence but the door did not budge.
"Looks like we need a key," Neville inspected the door a little closer.
"A key?" Hermione said. "Where are we supposed to find a key?"
As one, they all turned their heads upward, toward the ceiling.
"You've GOT to be kidding me," Hermione moaned while Harry noticed a broom propped up next to the door.
"Good thing I am a seeker, eh?" Harry's humor earned him a scathing look from Hermione. "Which key am I looking for?"
"It'll be old and silver," Neville said, examining the lock. "Probably a little bit rusty."
Casting his eyes upward again, Harry saw the key in question, its wing already bent.
Shouting "UP!" he called the broom to his hand. As soon as he did, half the keys scattered while the other half, attacked. Banking hard, Harry heard the keys tracking him from behind as he chased the desired key. He got close and reached out a hand only to be dive-bombed by a key. Slashing across his wrist, Harry screamed out in pain and rolled away from the offending key.
Every key is designed to defend the proper key, Harry thought. Resuming pursuit, Harry knew he would have to be craftier. Ignoring the shrieks and shouts from his companions below, Harry banked hard from one end of the room the other, hearing keys hit with every turn, Harry leaned into the broom to dive bomb his target key. Curling his hand around it, Harry was elated. He pulled a loop, turning back toward Hermione. Throwing her the key, he watched her sprint to the door to open the door, holding it open as Harry sped through the opening, only to slam it behind her.
Hearing the thud of 30 keys was ultra satisfying until the adrenaline wore off.
"That looks painful!" Neville pointed to the slice along his wrist.
"It's certainly no picnic," Harry said as Hermione tore a piece off her robes wrap around the cut. "Thank you, Hermione."
"Well, we've seen what Flitwick has for us," Hermione said. "Let's go see what McGonagall and Snape have lined up."
"Don't forget Quirrell," Neville added.
"Maybe he only gave us something theoretical," Harry replied sarcastically as they stepped into a grand atrium.
As they walked, a spotlight kicked on, illuminating a large chess set.
"Maybe we should have asked Ron to come with us," Neville chuckled.
"Feel free to go back and get him," Harry said. "We have everything we need right now, however."
He looked to Hermione and gave her a meaningful look.
"I know you said you don't enjoy the game, but I have no doubt that, working together, you and I can make it through."
Hermione's gaze turned hard as she looked over the board, analyzing it with her powerful mind.
"Harry, you take the place of the king, Neville you take a knight," Hermione dictated to them. "I'll take the queen."
"Yes, my Queen," Harry bowed to her. Hermione smacked him behind the head.
"Focus. This is serious."
With all the experience of a field general, Hermione commanded the board, and soon the air was thick with debris as piece after piece was smashed until, for the first time, she hesitated.
"You see if too don't you?" Harry said. "You see the win… and the cost."
"Yes… but how do I make this call?"
"Do it." Neville said. "I see the same thing you do. Who knows when we will have another chance and we are light on time."
"But…"
"Do it!"
Hermione called Neville into position, bringing the opposing queen out to take him. With a sickening smack, Neville was blasted off the stone horse he was riding, slamming down onto the board. The queen dragged him off the board where he lay motionless. Harry then moved to take the queen, checkmating the king. When the king stepped off the board, a door behind him opened.
The game won, Hermione ran to Neville.
"How is he?" Harry asked.
"He's breathing, just unconscious," Hermione said, checking his chest to make sure he was truly okay.
"Oh no!" Tears appeared in Hermione's eyes. She drew back and held up what remained of Neville's wand. "The fall must have snapped it. That was his dad's wand! All he had left of him."
"Maybe Ollivander can repair it," Harry said, unconvincingly.
"Nothing we can do about it now, I guess," Hermione said with sadness. "On we go."
Walking through the door, Harry was confronted with the worst smell he had ever come across. In the room was another troll, this one impaled with four needles, making him look like a gigantic pincushion.
"I think you have an admirer," Harry said as Hermione froze at the sight. For a second, she was back in that bathroom, seeing a gigantic troll throw Harry into the wall.
"A bit overkill, don't you think?" Hermione finally found her voice.
"Let's just be glad we don't have to deal with it," Harry said. "All we have left is Snape."
Stepping through the doorway, purple flames shot up behind them with red flames in front. On a table in front, sat seven vials of different sizes, each with a different liquid. In front sat a sheet of parchment.
"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,
One among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead,
Two among our number hold only nettle wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onwards neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.
(Taken from the first book, all rights belong to J.K. Rowling)
"So one of these," Harry gestured toward the vials. "Will get us through."
"Yes and one will take us back."
"So the largest and the smallest are safe," Hermione said, her brain churning.
"I think I know but I'm not sure…" Harry was torn.
"This one," She pointed toward the smallest vial. "Will let us pass."
"And this one," Harry pointed toward one of the medium-sized vials. "Will take us back. But it looks like there's only enough for one of us to pass."
"You take it," Hermione grabbed the vial and held it out toward him. "You're more powerful than I am. If it is Voldemort, it has to be you that needs to face him."
"But I'm not as quick or as smart as you," Harry said. "You always master spells quicker than I do and your aim is deadly-accurate. You're the smartest witch in our year."
"Books and cleverness," Hermione looked away slightly, turning her chin into her shoulder as her cheeks pinked. "There are more important things. Bravery, courage… and love."
Hermione couldn't take it anymore: she rushed forward and wrapped him in the tightest hug he had ever experienced.
"I don't know much about love," Harry said, awkwardly patting her back. "All that I've learned has been from watching you and your parents."
"You may not have had the most loving upbringing," Hermione looked into his eyes, appreciating just how green they were. "But you love with all your heart, using it to protect a scared little girl, first from a blonde idiot and then a mountain troll. Love is a powerful force. It binds us all together and makes us stronger than those without it. Remember that, no matter what, you are loved. By your parents, by Neville, even my parents love you, I think. You are a great wizard, Harry Potter. Remember that."
"I am only as great as you have made me," Harry looked at her, finally noticing that he was actually taller than her. Green eyes met Hermione's misty brown ones. Harry memorized those eyes, the little flecks of gold coursing through them. "You push me to be better, challenge me to improve myself.
"Take this," he handed her the invisibility cloak. "You might need it."
"Bottoms up?" She said as she raised her vial. He managed to smile as each drank their potion.
"Grab Neville, find Dumbledore or McGonagall. I'll try to hold whoever is over there off."
Harry gripped his wand tightly and stepped backward through the flames. Keeping his eyes on Hermione as long as possible. When all he could see was flame, he turned, ready to face whatever lay ahead.